Gyorko Blast Lifts Padres Over Pirates Again

Morgantown, West Virginia’s Jedd Gyorko slammed a three-run home run off Pirates starter Jeff Locke in the third inning of Tuesday night’s game in Pittsburgh, and the San Diego advanced to a 5-2 win over the Bucs.

The Padres (70-80) are 30-10 in the games they have played at PNC Park, and have won 18 of their last 21 games in Pittsburgh.

Gyorko and former Pirates shortstop Ronny Cedeno both recorded three of the Padres’ 14 hits. Cedeno has gone 5-for-8 in the first two games of the four game series in Pittsburgh, both San Diego wins. Padres starter Eric Stults (9-13; 4.02 ERA) earned the win, and Luke Gregerson recorded his fourth save.

Locke (10-6; 3.27 ERA) took the loss, throwing 89 pitches over five innings, and allowing four runs and seven hits, striking out five batters and walking five. Marlon Byrd drove home both Pittsburgh runs, and Andrew McCutchen, now batting .326, went 2-for-3 with a walk.

The loss for Pittsburgh (87-64) dropped the Bucs one game behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central Division race. Their “magic number” for clinching a playoff spot remains at six, following a sweep of a day-night doubleheader by Washington over Atlanta.

In the third game of their series with San Diego scheduled for Wednesday night, the Pirates will start Charlie Morton (7-4; 3.54 ERA) against the Padres” Tyson Ross (3-8; 3.29 ERA).